The initiative, now a fixture in the city's cultural agenda, aims to highlight the treasures of the Coimbra Municipal Library and broaden the city's cultural offerings to various audiences, including specialists, collectors, and the curious.
The III Old Book Fair includes participation from ten Portuguese bookstores with recognized experience in the sector, representing different regions of the country. Attendees will include Bernardo Trindade, Art & Rare Books (Lisbon), Livraria Artes e Letras (Óbidos), Livraria Colofon (Guimarães), Livraria Esquina (Porto), Livraria In-Libris (Porto), Livraria Liliana Queiroz (Caldas da Rainha), Livraria Manuel Ferreira (Porto), Livraria Miguel de Carvalho (Figueira da Foz), Livraria Nova Eclética (Lisbon), and Livraria Olisipo (Lisbon).
The complementary program features conferences on authors, editions, and bibliographical collections, as well as discussions on document conservation and restoration, and the history of the press. Specialists from various institutions and technicians from the Coimbra Municipal Library will participate, fostering engagement with old books as objects of knowledge, memory, and cultural heritage.
The inauguration is scheduled for Friday, October 23rd, at 6:00 PM. This will be followed at 6:30 PM by the conference “CLEPSYDRA, Camilo Pessanha e a bibliofilia portuguesa, no centenário do falecimento do poeta,” presented by José Carlos Seabra Pereira. The first day concludes at 8:00 PM.
On Saturday, October 24th, the Fair opens at 2:00 PM. The conference program begins at 2:15 PM with Isaque Ferreira presenting “Ao Virar da Página – conferência-ensaio falado sobre livros e bibliofilia”. At 3:30 PM, Raquel Santos and Catarina Alarcão will respectively address the “Fábrica de Lanifícios de Santa Clara no antigo Convento de São Francisco – De Convento a espaço multifuncional” and the “Conservação e restauro do espólio encontrado em suporte de papel”. At 4:45 PM, Alexandra Augusto will lead “Uma sessão de ‘Gabinete de Curiosidades Bibliográficas’: Colóquios de recreação proveitosa … (no 10.º aniversário da morte de Umberto Eco)”. The program continues at 6:00 PM with Pedro Mexia and the conference “Cinefilia e Bibliofilia: contributos para a história da imprensa cinematográfica nacional”. Closing is scheduled for 8:00 PM.
On Sunday, October 25th, the doors open at 2:00 PM. At 3:00 PM, José Pacheco Pereira will present “O projeto Ephemera e seu papel na divulgação da bibliofilia”. This will be followed at 5:00 PM by the conference “Camilo Pessanha – um enquadramento visual,” by Alexandre Ramires. The Fair closes at 6:30 PM.
With this third edition, the Municipality of Coimbra reaffirms its commitment to providing a meeting space for booksellers, specialists, and the public, fostering the discovery of unique works and strengthening the link between old books, research, and the preservation of cultural memory.
